By Christine Lavelle A FAMOUS historic work by John Knox will go on display tomorrow (Wed) at the National Library of Scotland, along with other exhibits to mark the 450th anniversary of the reformation. The first edition of The First Blast of the Trumpet, published in 1558, was a controversial work in which Knox argued [...]
By Christine Lavelle A CHARACTER dressed as John Knox – the famous Scot who led the country into a religious reformation – is to be included in a parade celebrating the first day of the Pope’s visit to Scotland. St Ninian’s Day Parade falls on 16 September, which is coincidentally the day that Pope Benedict [...]
By Amanda MacMillan BEST-selling author Irvine Welsh is hosting a special screening of his famous first novel to help raise funds for a Scottish charity and to get people in the mood for his new book. The showing of Trainspotting is taking place tonight (Wednesday) at the Dominion Cinema in Edinburgh in aid of charity [...]
By Amanda MacMillan SIX lively new additions have been welcomed at Edinburgh Zoo in what has been a record breeding season. The infant brown capuchin monkeys join a further 18 capuchin adults and juveniles in the Zoo’s Living Links Centre. The youngest, born on 29 July, is just over a month old and was born [...]
By Christine Lavelle A VOLUNTEER paramedic who had his emergency response vehicle broken into and around a thousand pounds worth of equipment stolen says he feels “violated.” Andrew Kerr, 35, from Broxburn, West Lothian, was visiting a friend in Edinburgh when the window of his 4×4 Honda CRV was smashed and raided on Brunswick Road [...]
By Cara Sulieman A GROUP of jet skiers were left red-faced after their car got stuck in the sea when the tide came in and submerged the 4×4. Trying to launch a jet ski from a trailer attached to the back of the blue Mitsubishi Warrior, the men didn’t notice the rising water until it [...]
By Christine Lavelle AN asthmatic boy had to be treated by paramedics after a fire broke out at his family home in Fife. Fife Fire and Rescue were called to the two storey mid-terraced house at Murray Place in Glenrothes at around 1am today (Tuesday). They used two hose reel jets and one main jet [...]
By Christine Lavelle EDINBURGH’S Festival Fringe ended on a high today (Mon), breaking its own record for ticket scales. Nearly two million tickets were sold throughout the month-long event in the capital. Tonight festival staff had estimated their final reconciliation was at 1,955,913 – up on last year’s 1.8 million which had – until now [...]
By Amanda MacMillan STAFF at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh are celebrating world record success as their giant corm tips the scales. The Amorphophallus Titanum weighed in at a whopping 153.95 kilograms which beat the current world record of 117 kilograms held by Bonn Botanic Gardens in Germany. It took five members of staff [...]
By Martin Graham POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a young woman was assaulted close to one of Edinburgh best known streets during a suspected sex attack. The 17-year-old was walking home at around 2am on Friday August 20 when a man grabbed her from behind and dragged her into West Scotland Street Lane. He [...]
By Martin Graham DRAGON’S Den star and multi-millionaire entrepreneur Duncan Bannatyne is supporting an autumn sleep-out to highlight the plight of young homeless people. The ‘Byte Night’ is an annual sleep-out to be held at Holyrood Park on 8 October. The event was started 12 years ago in London by IT professionals, hence the name [...]
By Cara Sulieman A HAIRDRESSER who smashed another girl in the face with a glass on a nightclub dance floor has been ordered to pay her victim compensation. Ashleigh Drysdale, 17, was in Stereo nightclub in Edinburgh when Lisa Golder bumped in to one her friends. The pair started arguing and Drysdale went to throw [...]
By Christine Lavelle CABINET Secretary for Justice Kenny MacAskill is urging Scots to work together to weed out crime gangs at the heart of multimillion pound illegal cannabis cultivation businesses. Police forces across the country have seized 130,000 plants – enough to cover Hampden, Ibrox and Parkhead’s football pitches – with a value of almost [...]
By Cara Sulieman A HOTELIER who threatened to kill paramedics and police officers has avoided jail over the alcohol fuelled abuse. William Preston was sentenced to 160 hours of community service today after he was convicted last month. Initially the 58-year-old was accused of smashing a glass over the head of an American tourist who was [...]
By Martin Graham SMOKE from a major fire at a recycling plant in Edinburgh could be seen from as far away as Fife yesterday. Six fire engines and four special appliances were deployed to bring the fire at the Biffa plant on West Shore Road under control. At its height there were eight firefighters [...]
By Christine Lavelle NEWSAGENT and corner shop owners claim the ban on cigarette displays will devastate their businesses and are asking for it to be removed. Many also believe that the move could increase cases of shoplifting, as staff will have to rummage under the counter for tobacco products. Shopkeepers have been lobbying ministers to [...]
By Christine Lavelle SEVEN people have been taken to hospital after two vehicles collided in Fife. Two children were seriously hurt and three others injured after the people-carrier they were traveling in collided with the other vehicle. All five have been taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, along with a woman who was driving the [...]
By Christine Lavelle ACCOMMODATION at Scotland’s universities is more expensive than it has ever been – soaring past the £200 a week mark. The most expensive student digs are at Edinburgh University, which has seven premium halls of residence rooms available, costing £216 per week. St Andrews University in Fife, which houses 4,000 students a [...]
By Christine Lavelle JUNK mail was given a new meaning for thousands of Scots – who received a 48-page porn brochure through their letterboxes. Royal Mail is launching an investigation after shocked recipients alerted them to the adult movie error last week. Among the 350 titles available to buy from the brochure were The Horny [...]
By Christine Lavelle HOSPITAL staff across central Scotland will be on high alert next month as Pope Benedict XVI visits the country. Fears over the Pontiff’s health have led to every hospital on or near the route he will take between Edinburgh and Glasgow being asked to get ready. When the Pope makes any visit [...]